ICT chief prosecutor compares Ziaul Ahsan to the Butcher of Bosnia
During a hearing today at the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), Chief Prosecutor Tajul Islam made a comparison between Ziaul Ahsan and Radovan Karadžić, the notorious "butcher" of Bosnia who was convicted of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).
Tajul Islam said, "Ziaul Ahsan was the originator behind the brutal tactics in Bangladesh, including enforced disappearances, torture, murder, and the disposal of bodies. While the Awami League government was in power, he systematically abducted, tortured, and detained members of opposition political parties who dared to speak out—many of whom have never been seen again."
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. He added, "It has also come to light that BNP leader Ilias Ali was abducted and killed under Ziaul's direction."
In a press briefing at the court premises, Naznin Nahar, sister and lawyer of Major General (retd) Ziaul Ahsan, she asked, "Did he buy the surveillance tools with his personal money?"
Her comments came after the tribunal heard charges against former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, former head of the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre (NTMC) Major General (retd) Ziaul Ahsan, and six other officials who are accused of crimes against humanity committed during the July-August uprising.
The case, filed with the ICT, accuses Ziaul Ahsan and others of planning, executing, aiding, abetting, and inciting the massacre of protesters during the movement.
When journalists asked her about allegations that Ziaul Ahsan had purchased spy devices to monitor individuals, Naznin Nahar responded by questioning whether the tools were bought at her brother's personal expense.
She also appealed to the media, urging them not to misrepresent her brother.
"It is inhuman to punish someone before the trial is complete," she said, criticising what she described as a "media trial." She clarified that Ziaul Ahsan is a retired officer of the Bangladesh Army and not a sacked one, as some media outlets have reported.
Naznin Nahar also addressed claims that her brother was involved in the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre (NTMC) — a technical office with no connection to the military, secret detention cells, or any form of torture.
"He never worked at the DGFI," she asserted, lamenting the "pathetic" media portrayal of Ziaul Ahsan and the impact on his family.
Responding to a journalist's question about the chief prosecutor's claim that Ziaul Ahsan was the mastermind behind Aynaghar, where detainees were allegedly tortured, Naznin Nahar countered, "What do you know about NTMC's work?"
She compared the NTMC to a library, explaining that it was a digital platform where law enforcement agencies accessed data as needed.
"It's like a librarian giving a book to a reader. The librarian doesn't choose what the reader reads," she said, stressing that it was not the responsibility of NTMC officials to control how the information was used.
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